Accessory for containers

ABSTRACT

Described is an accessory for containers which has a main body having a base surface, a seat having a lower surface and a lateral surface. The seat is made inside the main body, with the lower surface of the seat being inclined relative to the base surface of the main body.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of Italian Patent Application No. 202015000040756 filed Jul. 31, 2015, and European Patent Application No. EP161771340.0 filed Jun. 30, 2016 the contents each of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an accessory for containers.

More specifically, this invention can be used in the food sector, that is to say, in all those sectors where there is the need to display and, advantageously, close a container.

In effect, the present invention relates to an accessory to improve the step of displaying the container, for example inside a display cabinet, and at the same time for closing the above-mentioned container during transport.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are various prior art accessories in the sector for supporting the container during display and suitable for closing the container during transport.

An example consists of a lid shaped to match the opening of the container which has on its upper surface a seat which is also shaped to match the base of the container.

This solution allows the container to be displayed in the open configuration and at the same time to display the container resting on the above-mentioned lid, to obtain a closed configuration.

This prior art solution also prevents the lid from being moved away from the respective container during the display step, thereby avoiding the risk of losing the lid.

However, the prior art solutions have some drawbacks.

An important drawback is the fact that during the display the container resting on the respective lid adopts a position which is not optimum for viewing the inside of the container by the user.

In fact, since the surfaces of the bottom of the container and the lid are coplanar with each other, during display the container covers and hides a large part of the contents.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In this context, the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to propose an accessory for containers which overcomes one or more of the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.

More specifically, the aim of this invention is to provide an accessory for containers which allows the optimum display of the contents of the container and which at the same time is able to close the container during the transport steps.

The technical purpose indicated and the aims specified are substantially achieved by an accessory for containers comprising the technical features described in one or more of the appended claims.

More specifically, this invention provides a an accessory for containers comprising a main body having a base surface, a seat having a lower surface and a lateral surface, the set being made inside the main body.

The lower surface of the seat is inclined relative to the base surface of the main body.

The lateral surface of the seat comprises a portion for supporting the bottom of a container.

The seat is shaped to match the bottom portion of the container.

The accessory for containers according to this invention also comprises a collar shaped to match the opening of the container.

The collar may be concentric inside or outside the opening of the container.

The lower surface of the seat has two different depths inside the main body.

The container comprises an opening, a containment body and a bottom portion shaped to match the seat of the accessory mentioned above.

The dependent claims, incorporated herein for reference, relate to different embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of this invention are more apparent in the non-limiting description below, with reference to a preferred, non-limiting, embodiment of an accessory for containers as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a an accessory for containers according to this invention and a container designed to be coupled to the accessory itself, in an open configuration,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the accessory and of the container of FIG. 1 in an open configuration and

FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of an accessory for containers according to this invention and a container in the closed configuration.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety an accessory for containers.

An accessory 1 for containers 2 according to this invention comprises in its basic embodiment a main body 3 having a base surface 7, a seat 4 having in turn a lower surface 5 and a lateral surface 6.

The seat 4 being formed inside the main body 3, that is to say, between the upper surface 13 and the base 7 of the main body 3.

The lower surface 5 of the seat 4 is inclined relative to the base surface 7 of the main body 3.

The inclination is advantageously between 15° and 60°, preferably 30°.

Geometrically, the lower surface 5 of the seat 4 has two different depths inside the main body 3.

By means of this inclination it is possible to obtain a corresponding inclination relative to the vertical of the axis X of the container 2 when the latter is inserted inside the seat 4 and the accessory 1 is positioned on a horizontal surface, for example inside a display cabinet or a chiller cabinet. In this way, directing the container towards the user optimises the view of the inside of the container.

The inclination between accessory and container, also allows, if the display cabinet or chiller cabinet (or in any case any supporting surface of the accessory 1) is inclined, to compensate for this inclination and prevent the escape of contents, especially if this is in liquid form.

To compensate for the inclination of the supporting surface it is necessary to orient the container and the accessory 1 diametrically opposite the previous use.

Advantageously, the lateral surface 6 of the seat 4 comprises a portion 8 for supporting the bottom of the container 2.

The supporting portion 8 keeps the container 2 inside the seat 4 avoiding the risk that one slides inside the other.

In order to contain the container 2 in an optimum manner, the seat 4 is is shaped to match the bottom portion 11 of the container.

Advantageously, the accessory 1 also comprises a collar 9 shaped to match the opening 10 of the container 2.

The collar 9 may be alternatively, but with the same result, concentric inside or outside the opening 10 of the container 2.

To optimise the results of the accessory 1 according to this invention the container 2 may comprise in turn an opening 10, a containment body 12 and a bottom portion 11 shaped to match the seat 4 of the accessory 1.

FIG. 1 shows a container 2, moved upwards for reasons of clarity of description, in the open configuration, that is to say, resting on the upper surface 13 of the accessory 1.

This configuration is shown in a second perspective view also in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3 shows, on the other hand, the accessory 1 positioned above the container 2 in such a way as to close it.

In this configuration the collar 9 is concentric inside the opening 10 of the container.

As shown in FIG. 3 the container can be transported avoiding the risk of escape of the contents, especially if liquid, during transportation.

This invention fulfils the preset aims, overcoming the drawbacks of the prior art and providing the user with an accessory 1 for containers 2 which optimises the positioning of the container 2 for viewing by a user and, at the same time, allows it to be closed for the transport steps. 

1. An accessory for containers comprising: a main body having a base surface, a seat having a lower surface and a lateral surface, the seat being made inside the main body, wherein the lower surface of the seat is inclined relative to the base surface of the main body.
 2. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the lateral surface of the seat comprises a portion for supporting the bottom of a container.
 3. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the seat is shaped to match the bottom portion of a container.
 4. The accessory according to claim 1, further comprising a collar shaped to match the opening of the container.
 5. The accessory according to claim 4, wherein the collar is concentric inside the opening of the container.
 6. The accessory according to claim 4, wherein the collar is concentric outside the opening of the container.
 7. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the lower surface of the seat has two different depths inside the main body.
 8. A container comprising an opening, a containing body and a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion is shaped to match the seat of the accessory according to claim
 1. 